Is AJ Brown to the Patriots a done deal?

Added: 2026-05-15

[00:00:00]Well, joining us from our sister station in Philadelphia, WIP, uh we have Elliot Shore Parks. And uh Elliot, hey, thanks for joining us. We appreciate it.

[00:00:08]>> Yeah, thanks for having me on, guys.

[00:00:10]>> All right, so Elliot, uh first of all, it seems like it's a done deal. Like when you hear guys like Adam Shfter say what he just said and and and like around here, there seems to be an understanding that all they're doing is just waiting for the date where they can make it happen for AJ Brown to become a member of the New England Patriots. Is that what you're hearing?

[00:00:27]>> Yeah, that's my full expectation. I believe AJ will be traded to the Patriots. Everything I hear in Philadelphia is that AJ will not be on the team and the expectation is that he will be traded to New England. I also think that if you look at how this has been handled by both sides, both AJ and the Eagles, there's been no subliminal shots, no, you know, public trade demand, no bashing of the player, you know, through sources. AJ not really, seemingly at least, you know, putting anything out about the Eagles through sources. I think they're on the same page. They're okay splitting up. And I think because the Patriots are such a natural fit, AJ wants to be there, they want him, that I think the Eagles will make that happen. Could another team slide in at the last minute? Maybe, but I fully expect him to be a Patriot.

[00:01:10]>> What are you hearing the Patriots are going to have to give up for this?

[00:01:15]>> So, I think it'll be a future first. Uh, you know, I I think that's what you're looking at. I don't think it'll be a 2027 first. Uh, I think that's too valuable of an asset. Um, so I think it'll be a future first. What what I can't get a read on and I think is a key part of this is will there be another pick involved? Will there be a conditional pick like a fourth that could become, you know, even a second if he has an outstanding year? Are there players involved? But I do believe the Eagles will be receiving uh that future first round pick.

[00:01:43]>> How healthy is he, Elliot, and should the Patriots Do you think they've already done the medical work up on him or how does that whole thing work?

[00:01:50]Yeah. So, I think AJ and his knees have been a bit of an issue over the past two years. Now, he was outstanding in 2024.

[00:01:57]He was very good in the playoffs and, you know, he had knee issues throughout the playoffs. Last year, I believe it was Pro Football Focus that had this stat. He didn't have a single play over 20 miles per hour where he ran at that rate and that was the first time in his career. Now, seeing AJ, you know, throughout the week in the locker room, seeing him at practice, I've seen players that deal with knee injuries during the season, and he didn't look like one of those guys. Like, he's not limping through the locker room. He's not moving slower than he used to. Um, so I think it's something to consider for sure, but you know, if I was the GM of the Patriots, it's not something that would stop me from trading for him.

[00:02:34]>> Elliot, just the current depth chart for you guys, I mean, does it feel like you guys are set there? We got of course Devonte and he drafted Mai Lemon. He brought in Hollywood Brown. Does it feel like that's pretty much was also a signal that they're going to get rid of AJ's is the the activity they had in the free agency into the draft. Is that uh your read on it?

[00:02:53]>> Definitely. I I think if for whatever reason, and I don't expect it to, but if the deal with the Patriots falls through, they will find they will try to find another home for AJ. They have moved on, right? Like they have built their receiving court without AJ Brown.

[00:03:06]You don't spend the 20th overall pick and trade two fourth round picks to go to go up and get him on a receiver if you're keeping AJ Brown. You don't give Dantavian Wix $12 million if you're keeping AJ Brown. You don't give Hollywood Brown, who could be anywhere from their third or fourth receiver $5 million if you're keeping AJ Brown. So, I think the belief in Philly is that they will have a deeper wide receiver core and we'll find out which is better, like having that stud number one receiver that AJ is or having a core that goes four, five deep. So, but yeah, they're building for life without AJ.

[00:03:38]>> By the way, Khi has AJ Brown's next team, New England Patriots, at 83%.

[00:03:43]>> Oh, that's not that high.

[00:03:45]>> What's the only only team is was the Rams, right? Rumored.

[00:03:49]>> So, there's Kansas City, but now today uh uh and and maybe you can shed some light on this. The 49ers have emerged as a potential suitor for AJ Brown, which I mean obviously be a a good fit there, but I don't know whether or not like whether they can give up as much the Patriot Patriots can. Have you heard anything about the Niners possibly coming in and swooping them away?

[00:04:08]>> I' I've not heard a connection through to the Niners. That's news to me. Um, look, the Eagles once traded Donovan McNab to to Washington, so they are capable of trading like a star player to a rival. But I would just say if you're the Eagles, you would much rather ship AJ out of the conference than put him in in against a team that a you're going to play this year and b that is, you know, in theory going to compete with you for playoff seating, just knocked you out the playoffs and you could play again in the postseason. So I would be shocked if the NerS are in it in any real sense and I would be even more surprised if the Eagles were willing to trade AJ there.

[00:04:43]Well, Elliot, I'm sure you could probably write a chapter, if not a book on on his saga there, but if you can summarize it, like what went wrong? Is Is he a mess in the locker room? Is he Is he a normal guy? What What happened?

[00:04:55]>> No, AJ is awesome. Like, all the teammates love AJ. AJ is one of the most popular players in the locker room. I I think the biggest thing I can give you guys in terms of an insight of what AJ is in the locker room is when I'm there during the week, you know, every day, you see more players from different positions stop at AJ's locker than anybody than anybody else. When AJ got engaged, he had people from every position group at the engagement. So AJ's an awesome teammate. That's not the issue at all. I would I think he will be a positive in the locker room for New England, not a negative. The issue in Philly, I believe, is just if when you're AJ and you're working out all off season to be an elite player in the passing game and you run the route, you know the play is called for you because you heard it in the huddle and the ball doesn't come your way when you feel you're open. I think there's a frustration there. I don't think the issue with AJ is like lack of targets. I think the issue with AJ was when the ball's supposed to come his way and he knows that he wants it to come his way.

[00:05:54]So, I think the frustration was was with the passing game as opposed to like being a diva receiver, wanting the ball more, not getting along with his teammates. Like, that's never the read I've gotten from covering AJ for four years.

[00:06:07]>> All right, we're talking to Elliot Shore Parks. He's from WIP radio station in Philadelphia. He covers the Eagles and I'm sure all the other uh sports there in Philadelphia. How shocked were you that the Celtics scrapped the bet against your 76ers?

[00:06:20]I mean, it's the biggest upset in Philly sports since the Eagles beat the Patriots back and I don't even think it's close. Like, I was shocked to go I mean, going into the series, I thought the Sixers would get demolished when they were down 3-1.

[00:06:36]I thought it was over. So, obviously, they kind of did, you know, away with some of that goodwill by getting embarrassed by the Knicks. And it does make you view the Celtics thing a little differently. But, yeah, I mean, that was the crowning achievement of Joel's career so far. So, we'll take it.

[00:06:50]>> Ellie, what was the what was the response or the, you know, just the reaction to Embiid's comments after that, uh, you know, after this, you know, losing to the Knicks and four saying that it was his, uh, great season and he loved this, you know, the season much like Jaylen Brown said after getting knocked out to to them. What was the response from fans on that?

[00:07:10]>> Yeah, so I think there's actually a difference between what Jaylen Brown said and what Joel said. Joel, I think, was talking about physically it was a good season for him. And he's correct.

[00:07:19]Like at this time last year, if we were talking, I would think there's a chance Joel never played a game in the NBA again or very least never looked as good as he did. If you would have told me he would go on the road in Boston and drop like 34,4 and six or whatever he had, I would call you crazy. So I agree with Joel that it was a good year for him and for the Sixers really. It was one of the best years they've had in a while. So, I know it's not what fans want to hear, but I think it's true. The difference is Jaylen Brown sounded pretty much like he just enjoyed not having Tatum there. I think that that that's a little different than what Joelle said.

[00:07:52]>> Do fans love the Fos statue? That is one of the more bizarre statues in America, isn't it?

[00:07:57]>> The Nick Fos statue.

[00:07:58]>> Yeah, I I would love it as a fan.

[00:08:00]>> You would?

[00:08:01]>> Yeah, cuz it's such an awesome like underdog story. Who would have thought that Nick Fos would beat the GOAT? Like to me, I think that there's no one more worthy of a statue in Philadelphia than Nick Fos. I mean, you had a fake character statue up there for years, you know, now a real hero that the city can rally behind.

[00:08:18]>> All right.

[00:08:18]>> Oh, yeah. I mean, fans absolutely love it here. Clearly, Foss is, you know, some people would tell you he's the best quarterback in franchise history. I wouldn't co-sign that, but but uh I mean that game, the first Super Bowl, the fact that the the statue is of the Philly special, which is, you know, if not the most famous play in Super Bowl history, it certainly is on that short list. Uh people love it. Yeah. I mean, Carson Wentz didn't love it in 2018 and 2019, was outside the stadium, but uh yeah, fans still go to see it, take pictures with it, and I agree. It's better than the Rocky statue.

[00:08:48]>> All right. Well, this is it. It all seems like it's inevitable this AJ Brown thing. and and uh and and and and you know, the great thing is is that you know, Ted was just talking about it. The Patriots just couldn't have had a better off seasonason if they end up getting AJ Brown. And all you got to do is, you know, knock on wood because it almost sounds like it, you know, we're all jinxing it that he stays healthy, but nonetheless, if everyone shows up and plays like the way that they're supposed to, I don't know how you can't look at this as any anything but a success.

[00:09:17]>> Yeah. And and I would say not that I have to explain to you guys what it's like coming off Super Bowl as you know very well up there, but covering the Eagles in uh 2018 uh when they you know the season after 2017 and 23 and 25. I feel like what AJ will do for you guys that the Eagles lacked is just add a new face to the team, add a new element in the locker room. Like going back to the Super Bowl is so hard to do. I think there's like a staleness that sets over and there's like a feeling in the locker room where you don't enjoy it as much. I think AJ will really, really help with that. He'll come in, he's been through it, he'll be excited, and I think it can really help with the Super Bowl hangover.

[00:09:54]>> Yeah, it's going to be good. Yep, absolutely. All right. Well, Elliot Shore Parks from WIP out there in Philadelphia. Um, as I said, congrats on beating the Celtics, but not congrats on We were We were playing audio and it was funny, too, because, you know, obviously we're we're no one to go like to laugh at the tears of Philadelphia cuz I kicked, you know, Celtics ass, but I mean it it it sounded like somebody died. Like I I haven't heard Philadelphia fans that pissed in a long time after getting swept.

[00:10:22]>> Yeah. I mean, it was embarrassing. New York completely took over the city. The Knicks owned the Sixers. Uh, obviously we're a little closer there geographically than Boston. So, yeah, it was brutal. I mean, the fact that it did away a game seven win over the Celtics really shows how bad it was, but can't wait for joint practices against the Eagles and the Patriots on schedule.

[00:10:40]>> That'll be, but you know what's looking forward to the most.

[00:10:43]>> That is going to be fun. But there's you can debate like who's had a a tougher year sports town wise, Philly or Boston, the Flyers, the Sixers, or I mean the Phillies had fired their manager, now they're coming back. But yeah, both both towns have kind of, you know, been suffering from their sports teams recently.

[00:11:01]>> Yeah. Well, you guys barely suffer anymore, so I don't really want to hear any tears from you guys. But yes, in Philly it's uh in Philly it's been rough as usual.

[00:11:08]>> Well, awesome. Ellie, hey, thanks for uh thanks for talking with us and uh we we'll we'll get back in touch with you when this whole AJ Brown thing finally goes down. How about that?

[00:11:15]>> Yep. Can't wait. Time for you guys.